Product features
99% effective when you take it as prescribed
Contains oestrogen and progesterone
Take for 21 days with a 7-day break
What is Gedarel 30?
Geradel 30/150 is a birth control pill that’s 99% effective when taken correctly. It contains two hormones, ethinylestradiol (oestrogen) and desogestrel (progesterone).
How does it work?
The two hormones in Gedarel 30 help to:
- Stop your ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation).
- Thicken the mucus in your cervix to make it harder for sperm to reach an egg.
- Thin the lining of the womb, so an egg is less likely to implant itself.
How to use Gedarel 30
Most women choose to take one daily Gedarel 30 pill for 21 days, with a 4 or 7 day break before they start the next pack. You’re likely to have a withdrawal bleed during this break. However, there are other ways to take Gedarel 30.
- Continuous use is taking one Gedarel pill daily without a break.
- Tricycling is where you take a daily pill for 9 weeks without a break (three packs of pills). After these 9 weeks you take a 4 or 7 day break, then start the cycle again.
- Flexible extended use means taking one pill daily for at least 21 days. If you experience heavier bleeds and would rather have a shorter bleed window, you can take a 4-day break instead of 7. On day 5 start taking the pill daily again, and continue for at least 21 days without another break.
Our clinicians will help you find the best way to use the pill for you.
Effectiveness
If you take it correctly, Gedarel 30 is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. In cases where it’s not taken exactly as prescribed, it can lead to pregnancy for around 9 out of 100 women. So it’s important to follow advice and instructions.
If you’re vomiting or have severe diarrhoea while taking this pill, you may not be protected against pregnancy. If you can have sex, use condoms along with continuing to take the pill as usual. If the vomiting continues for more than 24 hours, follow the same steps as you would for a missed pill.
Important: you should only start taking Gedarel 30 if you’re certain you aren’t pregnant.
Side effects of Gedarel 30
As with all medications, some women may experience side effects when taking Gedarel 30. These include sore breasts, irregular bleeding, headaches, or mood swings.
This pill carries a slightly higher risk of blood clots than others. In rare cases some women will develop them.
For full details of side effects and correct use, please see the Gedarel 30 patient information leaflet. And if you’re worried about side effects, including blood clots, you can contact us in your Patient Record.
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A clinician will review your answers and, if suitable, prescribe treatment
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Choose next-day delivery, or click & collect from your local pharmacy
Gedarel 30 FAQs
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How long does Gedarel 30 take to work?
If you start taking Gedarel 30 on days 1-5 of your period, this should give you immediate protection against pregnancy.
However, if you start Gedarel 30 after day and one you have a short or irregular menstrual cycle, you’ll need to use extra contraception like condoms for 7 days if you have sex. Your clinician can advise on this.
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Does Gedarel 30 stop periods?
Taking Gedarel 30 can make your periods lighter and less painful. It’s possible to delay your period if you take 2 packets of Gedarel 30 back-to-back. Our clinicians can advise on delaying your period using contraceptive pills.
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Who can take Gedarel 30?
You shouldn’t use Gedarel 30 if you have any of the conditions listed below. You should talk to your clinician about your other birth control options. Don’t use Gedarel 30 if:
- You have, or have ever had, a blood clot in a blood vessel of your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT), your lungs (pulmonary embolus, PE) or other organs.
- You have a blood clotting disorder.
- You have, or have ever had, a heart attack or stroke.
- You have very high blood pressure.
There are other instances where the pill is not suitable, and our clinicians can advise on this during your online consultation.
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Can I take Gedarel 30 while breastfeeding?
If you’re breastfeeding, we advise against taking combined contraceptive pills like Gedarel 30 for 6 weeks after giving birth, as they can reduce milk supply and may also put you at greater risk of blood clots.
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What if I miss my Gedarel 30 pill?
If you miss one pill at any point in your pack or start a new pack 1 day late, you’re still protected from pregnancy.
Here’s what to do:
- Take the missed pill as soon as possible, even if it means taking 2 pills on the same day.
- Continue taking the remaining pills at your regular schedule.
- If you normally have a pill-free break, stick to your usual timing.
If you’ve missed two or more pills (over 48 hours late), your contraceptive protection may be reduced.
Follow these steps:
- Take the most recent missed pill right away, even if it means taking 2 pills in one day.
- Skip any other earlier missed pills.
- Use additional contraception, like condoms, for the next 7 days.
- Continue with your pack as normal.
- You may need emergency contraception if you have had unprotected sex after missing pills.
When you finish the pack after missing pills:
- If there are 7+ pills left in your pack: Finish the pack as usual and take your 7-day pill-free break as planned.
- If fewer than 7 pills are left in your pack: Skip the pill-free break and start a new pack immediately.
You may need emergency contraception if:
- You’ve had unprotected sex after missing pills.
- You had unprotected sex in the 7 days before the missed pills.
Our clinicians can prescribe emergency contraception, if it’s safe to do so.
For full details of correct use and what to do if you miss a pill, please see the Gedarel 30 patient information leaflet. If you need more advice you can contact us in your Patient Record.
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Where can I buy Gedarel 30?
As this pill is prescription only you’ll need to consult with a clinician before you can buy the treatment, even if you’re using an online service.
We can prescribe Gedarel 30 for you online, for discreet delivery or to pick up from your nearest Well pharmacy. To make sure it’s safe for you, we'll ask you a few questions including your height, weight and blood pressure.
Start an online consultation. It’s completely confidential and only takes a few minutes.
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What to do if I get Gedarel 30 side effects
You should talk to your doctor if you get any side effects that you think are from taking Gedarel 30, particularly if they’re severe and persistent.
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Gedarel 30 pill warnings
Combined contraceptives can raise your blood pressure, which could be dangerous. So, it’s important to check your blood pressure before starting the treatment, then once a year after that.
As part of your consultation, we’ll ask you if you’ve had your blood pressure checked recently, or checked it yourself at home using a blood pressure monitor. This information is required before we can prescribe combined contraceptives like Gedarel 30.
Gedarel 30 won’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections like Chlamydia or HIV. Only condoms can help with this.
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Gedarel 30 and drug interactions
You should be able to take Gedarel 30 alongside other medications. So that our clinicians can prescribe it safely, you’ll need to let us know which prescription, over-the-counter medicines and recreational drugs you’re taking regularly.
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Alternative Gedarel 30 contraception
A combined pill like Gedarel 30 is just one of a wide range of contraceptives we can advise you on and prescribe. These include NuvaRing, Evra Patch, the contraceptive injection, combined pills and progestogen only pills.
See our full contraception range here.
You can also get long-acting contraceptives through your GP or family planning clinic. These include the coil, implants, and contraceptive injections.
More contraception options
Delivery and collection information
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Standard delivery (Free)
Packages will be delivered within 2-3 working days of your order being approved.
You’ll be contacted by your courier when they know when they’ll be delivering your package. You can update your delivery preferences in the Royal Mail app to enable delivery to a neighbour or leave in a safe place if you won't be in.
If you’re not present when Royal Mail deliver your treatment, they will:
- Post your parcel through your letter box
- Deliver to neighbour
- Deliver to your chosen safe place
If none of these options are feasible, Royal Mail will attempt to deliver the next working day.
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Next day delivery (£4.95)
Mainland UK
- Orders approved before 5pm Monday-Friday will arrive the next day (Tuesday - Saturday).
- Orders approved up to 11am Saturday will arrive on Sunday.
- Orders approved after 11am Saturday and all-day Sunday will arrive Tuesday.
Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Scottish Highlands, Channel Islands and other offshore UK destinations:
- Please allow an additional 24 to 48 hours for offshore UK destinations
You’ll be contacted by your courier when they know when they’ll be delivering your package. You can update your delivery preferences in the Royal Mail app to enable delivery to a neighbour or leave in a safe place if you won't be in.
If you’re not present when Royal Mail deliver your treatment, they will:
- Post your parcel through your letter box
- Deliver to neighbour
- Deliver to your chosen safe place
If none of these options are feasible, Royal Mail will attempt to deliver to you the next working day.
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Click and Collect (Free)
If your order is approved by 5pm Monday-Friday, you should be able to pick it up the same day from selected pharmacies - provided they have your treatment in stock.
We suggest you ring your chosen pharmacy before you go to collect your treatment, just to make sure they have it in stock and ready.